Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology

Father                          : Late Prof. R. Vasudeva Sarma Distinguished Sanskrit and Tamil scholar, eminent teacher: Professor of Sanskrit, National College, Tiruchirapalli.

 Mother                         : Smt. Meenakshisundari

 Nativity                        : Born at Valavanur, Villupuram District (then South Arcot).  Ancestral home: Pondicherry.

 Date of Birth                 : 14th August, 1921

B.A. Degree, Madras University, I class Botany (Main) and Chemistry (subsidiary)

Ranked II in the University.  Graduated from St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli, 1940

B.Sc. (Hons.) Degree,  Madras  II class Botany  Ranked I in the Presidency,

Awarded the Pulny Andy Gold Medal by the University of Madras.  Graduated from Presidency College, Chennai, 1942. M.A. Degree,  Madras, awarded by efflux of time, University of Madras 1947. M.Sc. Degree,  Madras,  By thesis submitted from Presidency College, Chennai, 1952.

Ph.D. Degree, University of  Manchester, U.K.  By thesis, Manchester 1957.

Teaching: Experience:

1943 - 46 Lecturer, Pachaiyappa's College, Chennai

1946 - 58 Assistant Professor in Botany, Presidency College, Chennai

1959 - 60 Reader in Botany, St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli. Services lent by the Government of Tamilnadu to the College.  Organized the M.Sc course in Botany including infrastructure facilities.

1961 - 72 Professor, Tamilnadu Educational Service

(a) 1961 - 65 Promoted as Professor and posted as Professor of Biology, Thanjavur Medical College and then as Professor of Microbiology and Bacteriology in the Department of Public Health Engineering in the college of Engineering, Guindy.  Organized the first courses in India in Microbiology of Water and Sewage and Food. Prepared a syllabus in, and taught Limnology.

(b) 1965 - 71   Services lent to CSIR, to be appointed as Scientist, Central Salt and marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar.  Organized research on Marine Algae and their Chemistry and Utilization; in 1969, established the marine Algal Research Station of the Institute at Mandapam.

(c) 1972  Reverted to the State Service as Professor of Botany at  LN Govt. Arts College, Ponneri.

(d) 1973 - 79 Promoted in 1973 as Principal, Govt. Arts Colleges, in Tamilnadu Educational Service

 (e) 1979 - 80 Honarary Professor, Pachaiyappa's College, Chennai

 (f) 1989 - 90 Appointed Emeritus Professor in Presidency College, Chennai.

(g) 1991 Founded the Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology, continuing as Director of the Institute.

1942 - Joined the Madras University Botany Laboratory as a Research Scholar under Prof. M.O.P. Iyengar, who is considered as the Father of Algology in India.

1943 - Onwards.  After joining Pachaiyappa's College as Lecturer and later Presidency College as Assistant Professor, continued to do part time research in Algology under the kind guidance of Prof. Iyengar.

1951 - Submitted M.Sc. thesis entitled "Studies on some South Indian Algae" obtained M.Sc. Degree in 1952.

1956 - 58         Deputed for higher studies under the Colombo Plan to the University of Manchester, U.K.  Submitted thesis for Ph.D. degree in September,

1958. Obtained the degree in December, 1958.

1965 - 71         Deputed by Tamilnadu Government to CSIR for appointment as Scientist 'C' at the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar.  Organized and carried out research on seaweeds and their utilization.  Organized a survey of seaweed resources of India.  Established field units for the purpose, one of them later developed into a field research station, Marine Algal Research Station at Mandapam, Tamilnadu.

1968 - 69  Was deputed as a visiting Research Fellow to Friday Harbour Laboratories, Friday Harbor, Wash. USA to carry out research on marine algae.  Visited all important centres of algal study in U.S.

1971          Reverted to Tamilnadu Educational Service

1973          Promoted as Principal

1979          Retired from Government Service.

1979 - 84      Research Associate in the Project on Algal Flora of India sanctioned to Prof. T.V. Desikachary at the CAS in Botany, University of Madras.

1984 - 88         Research Associate in the Project on Phytoplankton of the Indian Ocean, sanctioned to Prof. T.V. Desikachary at the CAS in             Botany,  University of Madras.

1989   Joined the Department of Botany, Presidency College as Emeritus Professor to carry out further research on algae

1991   Founded the Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology.  Was the Founding- President and Director of Research.  Continuing in this capacity till date.

1992   Completed a Project on Sargassum spp. from Indian coasts.

1956    Field meeting of the British Phycological Society at Dale Fort, South Wales, England.

1957    Meeting of the British Phycological Society at London.

1959    Indian Science Congress, Madras.

1960    International Symposium on Algology, New Delhi.

1965    Seminar on Sea, Salt & Plants, Bhavnagar.  Organizing Secretary  & Editor, Proceedings of the Symposium (1967).

1969    International Seaweed Symposium at Santiago de Campostela, Spain. During this symposium a World Working Group on Seaweeds was formed by FAO and  was coopted as a member of this group to represent India.

1970    International Symposium on Taxonomy and Biology of Blue-green Algae, Madras.

1974    International Symposium on Taxonomy of Algae, Madras.

1977    International Seaweed Symposium at Santa Barbara, U.S.A.

1984   International Symposium on the Marine Algae of the Indian Ocean, Bhavnagar.

1986   International Symposium and Workshop on Algae in connection with M.O.P. Iyengar Centenary celebrations - Resource person for marine algae.

1987   Indian Science Congress, Pune.  Presented theme paper on Future of Algology (Co-author with T.V. Desikachary)

1988   III International Phycological Congress, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Chaired a session. Attended meeting of the International Organizing Committee for IV IPC as its member.  Attended Post congress workshop on Coralline algae at La Trobe University.

1989    Workshop on Gracilaria resources of the Indian Ocean conducted by FAO at Songhkla, Thailand. Gave a talk on Gracilarias of India.

1990   National Symposium on Cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation, New Delhi.

1996 International Symposium on Cyanobacterial Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli.  Chaired a session.

1. Research Papers published                           138

2. Books edited                                                    8

3. Books authored                                                3

4. Books under preparation                                  2

2.         Founded Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology, 1991. Founder - President and Director of Research since inception.

3. Editor, INDIAN HYDROBIOLOGY, official journal of the Institute.

4.         Organized more than twenty seminars and Workshops on various aspects of marine algae on behalf of Seaweed Research Association and the Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology.

5.         Conducted Training courses in algal products, algal research methodology and marine algal taxonomy for students and scholars deputed by different organizations.

(1)        Department of Botany, Theagarajar College, Madurai - 1996

(2)        Department of Botany, Pune University, 2001.

(3)        CSMCRI - Bhavnagar, 2002.

6.         No. of Ph.Ds produced -16

7.         No. of M.Phil students guided   : 10